Refrigerating apparatus



June 14, 1938.

I Original Filed July 20, 1935 E. B. NEWILL 2,120,674

REFRIGERATING APPARATUS 3 Sheets-Sheet l v m 27 2-; f l J v 7 z; a 5 4 J Y 4 /3 27% 4 Z8, 3/ 34 f w fi 30 INVENTOR.

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- HIS ATTORNEYS.

June 14,1938. E B \1 w| REFRIGERATING APPARATUS 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 Original Fi led July 20, 1955 INVENTOR. [p 4gp 3. NEW/Ll- MMM.

ms ATTORNEYS.

June 14, 1938. E. B. NEWILL 2,120,674 REFRIGERA'IING APPARATUS Original Filed July 20, 1935 3 Sheets-Sheet 5 I i it 3O i h J INVENTOR.

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HIS ATTORNEYS,

Patented June 14, 1938 PATENT OFFICE 2,120,674 'REFRIGERATING APPARATUS Edward B. Newill, Dayton, Ohio, assignor to General Motors Corporation, Dayton, Ohio, a corporation of Delaware Application July 20, 1935, Serial No. 32,415

a Renewed November 5, 1937 6 Claims. (Cl. 312-173) This invention relates to refrigerating apparatus and particularly to refrigerating cabinets of the household type.

An object of the present invention is to provide an improved food supporting shelf arrangement within the storage compartment of a household refrigerator cabinet.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a shelf arrangement for a household refrigerator cabinet which includes a plurality of shelf portions that can be selectively moved into various positions to modify the arrangement to meet different food storage requirements.

A further object of the invention is to provide u an improved shelving apparatus for a household refrigerator cabinet having a predetermined amount of shelf food supporting surface or area and when altered to afford a different arrangement of the storage of food products in the re- .20 frigerator the same predetermined total shelf food supporting surface is available for supporting food products in the food compartment of the cabinet.

In carrying out the foregoing objects it is a ggstill further object of the invention to provide an improved shelf arrangement for a refrigerator cabinet which will, if desired, permit the storage of food products in the same manner as in conventional refrigerators while at the same 39 time permitting the storage of additional tall bottled beverages and the like adjacent 'the front edge of one of the shelves of the shelf arrangement and which will also provide for the ready removal of products stored in the refrigerator cabinet by utilizing portions of the shelf arrangement, removed from other portions thereof to provide space for the storage of tall .bottled beverages, as food shelves or supports on the door affording access to the i terior of the refrigerator cabinet.

,Further objects and advantages of the present invention will be apparent from the following description, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, wherein a preferred form of the I 4:; present invention is clearly shown.

In thedrawings:

Fig. 1 is a front view of a refrigerator cabinet showing the food compartment door in open position and disclosing an arrangement of shelves in 50 the food compartment constructed in accordance with the present invention;

Fig. 2 is an enlarged vertical sectional view- I 7 through the refrigerator cabinet taken on the line 2-2 of Fig. 1; 55 Fig. 3 is a fragmentary sectional view, similar to Fig. 2; and shows the shelving in a rearranged position; I

Fig. 4 is a horizontal sectional view through the refrigerator cabinet taken on the line 4 -4 of Fig. 3;

Fig. 5 is an enlarged sectional view taken 'on the line 5-5 of Fig. 4 showing the construction of a portion of one of the shelves of the shelf arrangement of the present invention; and

Fig. 6 is a view similar to Fig. 5 showing a mov- 10 able member attached to the shelf portion in a raised position.

Referring to the drawings, for the purpose of illustrating my invention, I have shown in Fig; 1 thereof a refrigerator cabinet of the household 15 type generally designated by the reference character H). The cabinet l0 includes a plurality of any suitably insulated walls It adjacent to and surrounding a metallic member l2 which forms a liner for'the food storage compartment or chamber l3. The edges of the open side of the food compartment liner l2 may be secured to the door opening frame of the cabinet ill in any suitable and well-known manner. Adoor l4 pivotally mounted upon cabinet I0 is provided for 25 closing the access opening leading to the interior of compartment l3. An evaporator or cooling element l6 of any conventional design is mounted in the compartment [3 by being suspendingly vsupported from the top wall thereof. This cool- 3 ving element is adapted to be connected with a suitable refrigerant liquefying and circulating unit (not shown) in a well-known manner so as to cause the element to produce a refrigerating effect for cooling chamber l3 and causing'circu- 35 lation of air therein.

Thechamber l3-is partitioned or divided into a plurality of superimposed horizontally extending food storage spaces or compartmentsby a.

- plurality of shelves generally designated by the 40,

reference character II. Certain of the shelves I1 are formed by a shelf arrangement I8 comprising a shelf portion l9 and another shelf portion 20 which forms a complementary part of the shelf portion IS in the arrangement 18. All of the shelves ll provide, within chamber l3 of cabinet III, a predetermined amount of shelf food supporting surface or area which is desired to be maintained within the cabinet irrespective of various changes in the shelving for permitting difierent food storage arrangements in the cabinet. It will be noted that in Fig. 3 of the draw-' ings the two lower shelves are formed by the shelf arrangements l8 and that these shelves l8 are arranged to provide flat horizontally disposed 66 supporting surface and also a tall bottled bever- I age storage spaceadjacent the left side of the 1 surface of door evaporator or cooling element I6 as viewed in Fig. 1.

Each-of the shelf portions IQ of the shelf arrangements I8 comprise a metal rim member 2| having a plurality'of crosspieces 22 secured thereto by soldering ,or welding same. These portions l9 of shelves l8 are provided with mounting studs preferably of soft resilient material adjustably secured to extensions 24 welded to rim 2| (see Fig. 4). The studs 23 are adapted to engage the walls, or to fit into depressions provided in the walls, of liner member l2 to stationarily secure the shelf portions IQ of shelves 18 within compartment l3. It will be noted that the front.

edge of shelf portions l9 are spaced from the front of the chamber l3 and from the inner M. This space is normally adapted to be occupied by the movable shelf portions 20 of the shelf arrangements l8. Brackets or sockets 26 are welded or otherwise secured to the rim 2| of shelf portion l9 and other brackets orsockets 21 similar to the brackets or sockets 26 are secured in any suitable manner to the inner wall of door It. The detachable or movable shelf portions 26 of the shelf arrangements I3 include a rim member formed by a back rod piece 28 and a front U-shaped rod piece 29 (see Figs. 4, 5 and 6). -The ends of the back rod piece 28 axe bent downwardly as at 30 to provide legs or extensions which are adapted to fit in openings provided in the brackets or sockets 26 and 21 to firmly support the shelf portions 20 in various positions. A plurality of cross rods 3| extend from the back rod 28 to the front rod 29 and these cross rods have a depression 32 formed therein for a purpose tobe presently described.

The cross rods at each side of 'the plurality of has its leg portions welded or otherwise secured,

rods 3| thereof have an outwardly extending portion bent as at 33 provided thereon for a purpose to be also presently described. At each end of the movable shelf portion 20 of the shelf arrangement l8 an inverted-'U-shaped wire member 34 to the rod pieces 28 and 29 so as to firmly hold the-member 34 in a vertically disposed position to provide guide-rails at the ends or sides of the shelf portion 26. When the shelf portion 20 of the shelf arrangement I8 is carried by the door ll of cabinet In it is desired to provide a guiderail along the edge of the shelf portion 20 to prevent food products or other, articles placed on this shelf portion from rolling or falling there- .from during movement of the door.

Therefore I provide a wire member 36 with looped portions 31 which surround the rod piece 29. It willbe noted (see Figs. 5 and 6) that the wire guiderail or member 36 is movable or adjustable relative to the shelf portion 26 and thatthis movabil-v ity is for a purpose to be presently described. It is obvious (see. Fig. 6) that when the wire member 36 is elevated it strikes the extensions 33 providedon two of the wires 3| and thus the extensions 33 form a stop for preventing articles stored on the shelf portion 20 from pushing the guide.- rail 36 out of its vertical position. i

As before stated the storage chamber l3 has food supporting surfaces or areas occupying subing surface or area and is also provided with a storage space of predetermined size for the reception of tall bottled beverages. However, it quite frequently occurs that more bottled beverages are desired to be stored in chamber l3 than can be accommodated in the bottle storage space originally provided therein It isalso desirable to maintain the total predetermined shelf food supporting surface orarea within chamber l3 of cabinet l0 even when it is desired to store additional bottled products therein. My inven tion is therefore particularly directed to a novel shelf arrangement which will permit the carrying out of these desirabilities. In other words my invention permits an additional quantity of tall bottled beverages to be stored in the storage chamber of a refrigerator cabinet than can be ordinarily accommodated therein without depriving the user of valuable shelf food supporting surfaces. To carry out these requirements or desirables the function and rearrangement. of the shelving arrangement disclosed and herein previously described will now be explained.

My improved shelving arrangement may be positioned or arranged as shown in Fig. 3 of the drawings to provide a conventional fiat shelf which occupies substantially all of a horizontal cross-sectional plane of the chamber 13. When in this position the movable shelf portion 20 is carried by and forms a complementary part of the stationarily mounted shelf portion l9 of the shelf arrangement; l8 and is positioned in the space between the front edge of shelf portion l9 and the door It. The movable guide-rail 36 provided on shelf portion 20 is moved downwardly into the position shown in Fig. 5 of the drawings so that the longitudinal portion thereof fits into the' depression 32 provided in cross pieces 3| to provide a flat shelf surface and to eliminate the necessity of lifting food products over the guide-rail during removal thereof from the flat shelf l8 in the arrangement shown in Fig. 3. Assuming that all of the shelf-food supporting surfaces of the arrangement is occupied and also that the space for tall bottled beverages or the like, adjacent the cooling element I6, is" filled and it is desired or required to place more bottled' beverages in the refrigerator cabinet I0. The food products stored on the movable-shelf portion 20 of the shelf arrangements l8 are therefore temporarily removed therefrom. The movable complementary shelf portions 20 of the shelf arrangements l8 are then detached fromthe stationary shelf portion l9, by removing the legs or depending portions 30 of shelf portion 26 from the holes in the brackets or sockets 26, and are turned around and moved upwardly so that the legs or depending portions 30 on the shelf portion 20 register with and may be placed in the openings provided inthe bracketsor sockets 21 secured to door M. After the shelf portions 20 have been secured to door l4 the guide-rail 36 provided on shelf 20 is raised into the position shown in Fig. 6 to form a basket-like shelf on the door. The food products that were temporarily removed from the shelf portions 26 are then to be replaced thereon for storage in compartment l3 and are therefore easily accessible when door I4 is opened. By the arrangement just described it will be apparent that a relatively tall space has been provided adjacent the front edge of the stationary shelf portion Is for the reception in a vertical position of bottled beverages (see Fig. 2). This rearrangement to provide more space in the chamber l3 for tall bottled beverages does not deprive the user of the maximum food supporting surfaces in the refrigerator cabinet since the same total horizontally disposed shelf area ismaintained therein by attaching the complementary shelf portions 20 of the shelf arrangements l8 to the door ML. The shelf arrangements disclosed may, if desired, be used in the rearranged position as described and shown in Figs. 1 and 2 of the drawings at all times, regardless of whether the space adjacent the front edge of the stationary shelfportion I9 is to be used for the storage of bottled beverages or not, to afford up-todate storage and easy accessibility of small food .products or articles which are frequently used during the preparation of a meal and which ordi- .narily become concealed in conventional refrigerators by being moved or placed behind other larger objects in the food chamber From the foregoing it will be seen that I have provided an improved shelving arrangement for household refrigerator cabinets that can be selectively and alternatively moved into various positions within'the storage chamber of the cabinet to meet different foodstcra'ge requirements. My improved shelf arrangement can be altered or changed to meet various food storage requirements Without eliminating any of the shelf food supporting surfaces or areas originally provided in the food chamber. Thus my shelving arrangement provides additional space within a refrigerator cabinetfor the storage of tall bottled beverages, when needed, without depriving the user of valuable shelf food supporting surfaces.

While the form of embodiment of the invention as herein disclosed, constitutes a preferred form, it is to be understood that other forms might be adopted, all coming within the scope of the claims whichv follow.

What is claimed is as follows:

1. In a refrigerator cabinet, a compartment having an-access opening and a door for closing said opening, a shelf arrangement within said compartment providing a food supporting sur face or area of predetermined size within said compartment, said shelf arrangement comprising a stationarily mounted shelf portion and a movable shelf portion, means on said stationarily mounted shelf portion for detachably carrying for detachably carrying said movable shelf portion, said movable shelf portion being adapted to be selectively supported on either means, said movable shelf portion when supported by said means on said stationarily mounted shelf portion forming a complementary part of the shelf arrangement to provide said predetermined food supporting surface or area within said compartment, and said movable shelf portion when supported by said means on said door completing ing a stationarily mounted shelf portion and a movable shelfportion, means on said stationarily mounted-shelf portion for detachably carrying said movable shelf portion, means on said door for detachably carrying said movable shelf portion, said movable shelf portion being adapted to be selectively supported on either means, said movable shelf portion when supported'by said means on said stationarily mounted shelf portion forming a complementary part of the shelf arrangement to provide said predetermined food supporting surface or area within said compartment, and said movable shelf portion when supported by said means on said door completing said predetermined food supporting surface or area within said compartment and providing a space adjacent the front edge of said stationarily mounted shelf portion and said door for the reception in a vertical position of tall bottled beverages, said movableportion of said shelf arrangement having a movable member attached thereto for providing a guide-rail therefor when same is carried by said means on said door.--

3. In 'a refrigerator cabinet, a compartment 1 having an access opening and a door for closing 'said movable shelf portion, means onsaid door said opening, a shelf arrangement within said compartment, means for supporting said shelf arrangement within said compartment, said shelf arrangement including two portions, the one portion of said shelf arrangement disposed adjacent the access opening to said compartment being movable relative to the other portion thereof, means on said door for detachably carrying said movable shelf portion, said movable shelf portion being adapted to be selectively supported on either means, said movable shelf portion when supported by said first named means within said compartment being disposed in substantially the same horizontal plane with said other shelf por- 'tion and forming a complementary part of the shelf arrangement; to provide a predetermined food supporting surface or area within said compartment, and said movable shelf portion when supported by said means on said door completing said predetermined food supporting surface or area within said-compartment and providing a space adjacent the front edge ofsaid other shelf portion and said door for the reception in a vertical position of tall bottled beverages.

4. In a refrigerator cabinet, a compartmenthaving an access opening and a door for closing said opening, a shelf arrangement within said' compartment, means for supporting said shelf arrangement within said compartment, said shelf arrangement including two portions, the one portion of said shelf arrangement-disposed adjacent the access opening to said compartment being movable relative to the other portion thereof, means on said door for-detachably carrying said movable shelf portion, said movable shelf portion being adapted to be selectively supported on either means, said movable shelf portion when supported by said first named means within said compartment being disposed in substantially the same horizontal plane with said other shelf portion and forming a complementary part of the shelf arrangement to provide a predetermined food supporting surface or area within said compartment, and said movable shelf portion when supported by said means on said door completing said predetermined food supporting surface or area within said compartment and providing a space adjacent the front edge of said other shelf portion and said door for the reception in a vertical position of tall bottled beverages, said movable portion of said shelf arrangement having a movable member attached thereto for providing a rail therearound when same is carried by said means on said door.

5. In a refrigerator cabinet, a compartment having an access opening and a door for closing said opening, a shelf arrangement within said compartment, means for supporting said shelf arrangement within said compartment, said shelf arrangement including two portions, the one portion of said shelf arrangement disposed adja'cent the access opening to said compartment being movable relative to the other portion thereof, means on said door for detachably carrying said movable shelf portion, said movable shelf portion being adapted to be selectively supported on eithermeans, said movable shelf portion when supported by said first named means within said compartment being disposed in substantially the same horizontal plane with said other shelfportion and forming a complementary part of the shelf arrangement to provide a predetermined food supporting surface or area within said compartment, and said movable shelf portion when supported by said means on said door completing said predetermined food supporting surface or area of said shelf arrangement within said compartment and being movable outwardly of the compartment when sai door is opened.

6. In a refrigerator cabinet, a compartment .having an access opening and a door for closing said opening, a shelf arrangement within said compartment, means for supporting said shelf arrangement within said compartment, said shelf arrangement including two portions, the one portion of said shelf arrangement disposed adjacent the access opening to said compartment being movable relative to the other portion thereof, means on said door for detachably carrying said movable shelf portion, said movable shelf portion being adapted to be selectively supported on either means, said movable shelf portion when supported by said first named means within said compartment being disposed in substantially the same horizontal plane with said other shelf portion and forming a complementary part of the shelf arrangement to provide a predetermined food supporting surface or area within said compartment, said movable shelf portion when supported by said means on said door completing said predetermined food supporting surface or area of said shelf arrangement within said compartment and being movable-outwardly of the compartment when said door is opened, said movable portion of the shelf arrangement having a member attached thereto and normally. lying in substantially the same horizontal plane therewith, and said member being movable upwardly relative to said movable shelf portion to provide a rail therealong when same is carried by said means on said door.

EDWARD B. 

